Why Wait?

[SpringerTigger]

Two years ago, I tried to upgrade to HD. Dish came out; told me that the neighbor's tree was blocking my line of sight to the satellite. Not only did they refuse to do the install, they ended up telling me that I needed to cancel my service because of the los issue. I was a happy Dish customer and went reluctantly. When Direct came out to install, the installer said he had worked for Dish and knew exactly where the satellites were - not only did I not have a los issue for Direct, he also said there was no problem for Dish. His feeling was that Dish had originally used the existing cable wiring when they did their install - to do the HD upgrade, they had to do a fair amount of rewiring, and he thought that the Dish installer just didn't want to do the rewiring. So, my contract with Direct is up *today*. I really kind of want to go back to Dish - I miss my Superstations. So, my plan is to contact a local retailer and see if they can get me a clear los to install Dish. <Cross your fingers!>

I've been here, reading all the threads about the hopper/joey. Yeah, it sounds great and fabulous. But, when it comes to technology, there's always something better just around the corner. There are never more than 2 of us here. Sure, the whole-house option sounds great. But, I haven't made that upgrade with Direct. (That's Plan B if I really can't get a los with Dish.) Other than the whole-house option, how is this a game changer that makes it worth waiting for? Why is this better than a couple of 722's, where each could record different programs. When I'm in my office doing things for work, I really don't want to watch a drama that requires a fair amount of attention to follow. (FWIW, according to the Dish Web site, even after my new customer discounts would run out in a year, with all their various fees, I would get one additional receiver, a handful of movie channels that I don't currently get - and my bill would be $5/month *less* than what I currently pay Direct. It would be $10/month less if I didn't have my Direct bundled through Century Link.)

Why is this a game changer worth waiting for? Or, is it not worth waiting for and it would be better to just call my local retailer and get things going?

 

[TheKrell]

The game changer for Dish is that it's a whole-home HD DVR over coax, as opposed to the SD home distribution feature of existing Dish receivers. Secondarily, the menus are all much prettier and zippier than existing models. (922 owners have a similar menu system now.)

You should ask yourself how much you would use the whole-home feature, as opposed to separate DVRs at each location. (I personally have a 722 and two 612s so that everybody can have a HD DVR and not mess with each other's recordings.) If you had separate DVRs, you couldn't start watching a recording in one location, and then move to another and pick up where you left off. To watch the same program on two receivers, you would have to think ahead and make two recordings.

Then there is the cost. We don't yet know the cost of the Dish Hopper system.

 

[SQUEEZON]

I can identify with this. When I wanted an extension to another room the Dish guy came and moaned he had to put cable around the outside of the house, and it was raining and he was tired (and overweight) so I told him just make the damn cable run and I would staple it up later! Dish should do more monitoring on their installation people.

 

[hdflsts2002]

Use the dishpointer.com link at the top of the page to get a better idea if you can get LOS. Put your location in and then pick say 1000.4 if that looks debatable then switch to 1000.2 and see how that looks. I really don't know what arc you should be on in IA, I would guess Eastern but I really don't know. Let's say it is eastern and there is obstruction that way but western has clear los then I would think that Dish could/would point you that way. I am in an eastern area but when we had Dish installed for my elderly aunts there was not los on eastern, a western arc dish was put up and they are happy as...... Well however happy to very elderly old women can be. As to what to get and when that is something you need to answer. XIP wile could be out soon are not out. How will the perform? Very well we all hope but until they are in the market no one knows for certain. Are there features that you want/need? How many live channels would you normally be watching, as well as recording at the same time? Of the sets in your home how many are HD how many SD? Could you live with SD quality on an HD set?

 

[wilme2]

as opposed to the SD home distribution feature of existing Dish receivers.

I really want to keep that SD home distribution. Has been part of my config for years.

 

[dare2be]

Why would anyone want to keep the SD home distribution instead of HD? Even if you only have an SD tv there, you can still use the Joey to connect your tv to composite cables.

 

[SpringerTigger]

Interesting. The image on dishpointer.com resembles my neighborhood, but it's definitely not the real thing. At least not what Google Earth says my neighborhood looks like - and I can recognize my house on Google Earth. So, it's possible that the guy just looked me up on dishpointer, said to himself that it wasn't going to work. I've got a non-functioning Direct box that I need to call the protection plan people and get them to swap out. (It's on a tv that no one ever uses, so it's been pretty low priority.) Once that's done, I'll call and see if I can get someone out to get me a los.